


four seconds

by jarorrakunsenpaisan



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Almost Crack, Drabble, Fluff, M/M, Spock Loves James T. Kirk, The fluffiest fluff, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:27:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24799951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jarorrakunsenpaisan/pseuds/jarorrakunsenpaisan
Summary: Jim comes to his and Spock’s weekly study session a little different than last Friday.
Relationships: James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy, James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 4
Kudos: 81





	four seconds

**Author's Note:**

> i don’t even know man. this is so different from the stuff i usually write

He walks through the library door, drops off the books he’d checked out two days ago, and approaches his and Spock’s usual study spot. They’re going over calculus today, which is Jim’s favourite subject(not). 

He plays it cool as he sets his backpack down on the table, eyeing Spock. His eyes don’t leave his page of perfectly lettered notes as Jim takes his seat and glances at his watch; 5:23. 

It takes just over ten seconds for Spock to notice. 

“You’ve grown out your moustache.” 

He says it with a tone as blank as usual, but there’s a layer of emotion that Jim can’t quite decipher. Instead, he feigns innocence as he tries to copy down his chicken scratch notes with better penmanship on a separate page(a tip from Ahura). 

“Uh...yup.” 

Spock seems utterly unhappy with the answer, but after a few moments of careful staring, he shifts back in his seat and returns to his notes. 

Jim doesn’t say anything either, scribbling to the sounds of muted footsteps on the cheap library carpet. 

He hears Bones’ voice in his head.  _ Five minutes. I bet you he’ll lose it before five minutes have passed.  _

Jim checks his watch. It’s been two minutes and approximately seventeen seconds since he sat down. He chances a peek at Spock from the corner of his eyes. He’s still scanning over equations. 

He finds he can’t very well focus on what he’s writing, so he begins to doodle little spaceships on the bottom corner of his page and watches the seconds tick by, and waits for the five minute mark. Jim prays with his whole being that Spock will wait just  _ five damn minutes  _ so that he doesn’t have to pay—

“May I ask  _ why  _ you’ve chosen to let your moustache grow out?” 

Jim checks the time. 5:27. He has one minute to reign Spock in. Asking why he’s grown out his facial hair doesn’t count as ‘losing it’, does it? 

_ Maybe in Spock’s case,  _ He things placidly. 

He speaks slowly, hoping to draw the final minute out. 

“Because...well...I guess I just wanted to grow it out? I never do.” 

Spock squints his eyes very slightly and exhales. 

“Precisely. So why now?” 

Jim glances at his watch again. Twenty seconds till five minutes. He wants to groan. His foot begins to tap insistently on the ground. 

“Why does it matter, Spock? It’s just facial hair.” 

Spock seems troubled, like he isn’t sure how to respond, and there’s fifteen seconds left. 

“It hardly matters, I actually needed help on this equation, so—“

“McCoy made a bargain with you.” 

Jim sighs dramatically, pushing his palms together and pressing them to his lips. 

“I’m only assuming,” Spock continues, eyes boring into Jim’s. “From the amount you’ve been looking at your watch, it’s the only reasonable explanation. Unless you have an appointment, which makes very little sense because we study weekly. Since  _ you’re  _ involved I’m sure it’s a bargain of whether or not I am going to find your moustache upsetting. Am I correct?” 

_ Four seconds.  _

Jim remains silent. 

Spock blinks once, and then drops his pencil and leans forward in his seat, lips curved downward just slightly. 

“You owe McCoy money. I definitely feel some form of unease, though I am unsure of the reason.  _ Why  _ a mustache? You’ve said more than once that you prefer your face to be shaven.” 

Jim watches as his watch ticks to five minutes, and feels his ego crumble away. 

“Spock. You couldn’t have held that in for  _ four fucking seconds _ ?” 

“Indeed I could not. It bothers me.” 

“ _ Why?”  _ Jim asks, bewildered. “It’s a mustache. Not the end of the world. I am a  _ man _ , and sometimes I just want to be able to reach up and stroke my moustache and pretend I’m—“

Spock extends his hand and brushes a finger over his lip, and then up to the facial hair in question, effectively silencing Jim. 

“Stroke it...like this?” And he repeats the motion of his finger, this time all the way across, and Jim can feel his soul floating out his body. 

“Spock.” He says it in as straight of a voice as he can, but his vocal chords are failing him. 

A flash of amusement in those cold eyes, and then Spock retracts his hand. 

“Which equation did you need help with?” 

He sounds so self-righteous that Jim  _ almost  _ punches him. Instead, he bites his lip, turns in his seat, and points vaguely at his page. 

“This.” 

“Easy.” Spock replies immediately. 

“Asshole.” Jim retorts. 

“I am the asshole who is going to teach you calculus. You could show a little more appreciation.” 

Jim resists the urge to flatline. 

“Fuck me.” 

“If you wish, but not now.” 

It is at that moment that Jim quite literally dies inside, and doesn’t know anymore if he should hate Bones or love him for making him grow his mustache out for this experiment. 

“Okay.” Jim says shakily. 

_ Okay. _

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr!](https://jen-thine-hen.tumblr.com)


End file.
